Neighbors Pull Driver From Burning Car Before Responders Arrive in McLeansville

Joe Fields and Jason Jobe were together at Jobe's house on the 4600 block of Creekview Road in McLeansville last Sunday when they heard tires screeching, then a sound Jobe described only as "a big boom." They drove toward it and found a car fully engulfed in flames. Neither man hesitated.

"All I could think of was, 'We got to get this guy out or he's going to burn to death,'" Jobe said. "'No ifs, ands or buts about it.'"

The two men, joined by a third person at the scene, physically dragged the driver clear of the burning vehicle. Guilford County EMS confirmed it received the call just before 7 p.m. on March 31. By the time responders arrived, the driver was already out. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Adding to the difficulty: officials noted the driver was larger than the men who pulled him to safety, underscoring how much the rescue demanded physically.

Fields, who photographed the vehicle fully engulfed and shared the image with a local television station, called the scene "something from a horror movie" and the outcome "the stuff of miracles." He and Jobe stayed with the driver until EMS arrived.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is now reconstructing what happened on that stretch of Creekview Road. Investigators will examine speed, possible impairment, vehicle condition, and roadway features, including whether the car struck something that triggered the post-crash fire. They will also determine whether any other vehicles were involved and whether preexisting mechanical issues played a role.

The rural character of that section of McLeansville is itself part of the story. In remote pockets of Guilford County, the gap between when a crash occurs and when first responders reach the scene can be significant. Sunday's incident is a direct illustration of what can fill that gap, and what the consequences can be when no one does.

Emergency officials consistently caution that approaching a burning vehicle carries serious risk. Fire can spread rapidly, fuel tanks can rupture, and in newer vehicles, high-voltage battery components add an additional layer of danger. The standard guidance is to call 911 immediately, stay a safe distance back, and alert the driver verbally if possible. Entering or reaching into a burning vehicle is a last resort. Fields and Jobe have said they acted because they believed the driver would not survive otherwise, a judgment the circumstances appear to support.

What the State Highway Patrol's investigation ultimately finds will determine the next steps on Creekview Road, whether that means criminal charges if impairment is confirmed, traffic-safety outreach, or a closer look at roadway conditions at that location. Those findings are expected in the coming weeks.